Orphans and Vulnerable Children - CRIN

Problems Experienced by OVC in the Community

In this activity, you will:

 Discuss how aspects of community life affect OVC

Facilitator’s notes:

In the last module, you discussed how children’s environments affect their development and how

they understand their world. In this activity, participants will explore how a community’s lack of

support and care for orphans and vulnerable children affects them.

Activity 3

Problems experienced by OVC

in the community:

• Child labour and exploitation


• Sexual and physical abuse and rape


• Illness, including HIV/AIDS


• Lack of parental guidance and support


• Lack of food, shelter and clothing


• Dropping out from school


• Children heading their own families


• Caring for dying parents.

Effects of these problems on OVC:

• Children living on the streets


• Early marriages or pregnancy


• Self blame and self-rejection


• Depression


• Poor health and stunted growth


• Loss of concentration


• Violence


• Lack of care in physical appearance


• Engaging in substance abuse.

Indicators of Children’s Problems

1. Sadness and irritability
   Children who are unhappy will look sad, cry a lot and will not want to play. They may
   be depressed and withdrawn and may not react to what happens around them.
   Feelings may also be expressed as irritability or getting upset very easily.


2. Suspicion and lack of trust
   Vulnerable children living on their own, in child-headed households or in other difficult
   circumstances, often have good reasons to be suspicious of people. They feel vulnerable
   and may be afraid that adults will take advantage of them or exploit them.


3. Anger and hostility
   Some children may be hostile towards adults because they have been treated badly by
   adults and not cared for properly; or they may fear physical abuse or punishment.


4. Guilt, self-blame and shame
   Children may be ashamed of what has happened to them, especially if they have been
   victims of rape or humiliation, or are disabled and bear the brunt of stigmatisation.
   They may blame themselves for not protecting their family or for surviving when others
   have died.

(^152) Unit 2, Module 2 Guide to Mobilising and Strengthening Community-Led Care for Orphans and Vulnerable Children